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developed groundbreaking approaches to providing care to our patients. It’s no
wonder we’ve repeatedly been named the #2 family medicine department in
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22 Noted
What we’ve heard around town …
38 Go. See. Do.
The hottest events in February
and March
78 Adopt A Pet
Meet a few pets from The Animal
Protection Society of Durham
80 Hot Spot
British-Indian gastropub
Viceroy is the first of its kind
in the Bull City
82 Taste
Find our city’s best restaurants
94 Engagements & Weddings
Tying the knot Bull City-style

80

FEATURES
20 Raise Your Voices

Durham Children’s Choir instructs young
area singers while forging a relationship
with the community

28 Bell Out

After four-plus decades in public office,
Mayor Bill Bell is passing the baton

16 Animal Protection Society of
Durham’s Tails at Twilight Gala
18 Launch of “The Hole Story”
at Book Harvest
18 Girls on the Run of the Triangle’s
dinner gala

| letter from the executive editor |

Forward
Progress

W

E ALL KNOW THAT OUR CITY
is teeming with talented people
who have big ideas. Those
people, every day, are creating
solutions wherever they see an issue. Wish
there was an energy drink that was actually good for you? Tatiana Birgisson whipped up a
recipe for one. Want to buy clothes that haven’t been made in the poor working conditions
of a third-world country? Dr. Rebecca Kuhns opened a fair trade boutique. Is there a single
piece of furniture out there that your kids won’t destroy? Yes, it’s called the Nugget, and
it’s made in east Durham.
Others improving on existing industries are doing so in the most creative ways
imaginable. Chas Pippitt at Baseball Rebellion isn’t just coaching – he’s quantifying
every player’s movement and using that data to develop his own products that enhance
performance. And what started out as a creative release for Gabriel Eng-Goetz – who
began printing his illustrations on T-shirts under the label “Runaway” – grew into Durham’s
most recognizable lifestyle brand. “Being born and raised in Durham and a product of
public schools here, I feel that it is my duty to tell the story of Durham and give back to the
city in the only way I know how, which is art,” he told me at his office space in the American
Underground (AU) startup hub on Main Street, where two of the other aforementioned
entrepreneurs also work. (Learn more about them beginning on page 42.)
In fact, a case study released in December on the AU by researchers at the University
of Virginia stated, “If you want a glimpse of what could be the future of American
entrepreneurship, look no further than Durham.” This was supplemented by AU’s own
annual report, with inspiring figures like a 30% increase in jobs created and 40% increase
in venture funding.
Not every startup will make it. But all contribute to what Gabe described as Durham’s
“true essence as a city of really hardworking people.”

we are asking our community, as well as,
our patients and staff to donate cans of soup
for our annual “Souper Bowl”.
We will match every can donated to supply the Food Bank
of Central and Eastern North Carolina in Durham.
Donations are accepted at our office Monday thru Thursday,
from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
The Durham Branch serves 6 counties including Chatham, Durham,
Granville, Orange, Person and Vance. In these counties more than 106,990
people live in food insecure households, 30,750 of whom are children.
Did you know that many who receive assistance are not homeless, but
are simply struggling to stretch very limited resources? Last year, this
branch distributed 7.6 million pounds of food to needy families. The
programs remains heavily supported by volunteers and donations from
the local communities. We are excited to be a part of it this year!

Thank you for continued support
in helping those less fortunate
in our local communities.
Happy new year!

“Walking through the building you can just feel all of the energy
from the great companies starting up there.”
– Philip Vignola Jr., @bullcitypictures
PictureDURM (@picturedurm on Instagram) is a collection of photos chosen by founder Meredith Martindale from users who share the #picturedurm hashtag.

6

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durhammag.com

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February/March 2017

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Dinner by Stage Light
 by Laura Zolman Kirk
The Carolina Theatre hosted a food truck dinner on stage with Pie Pushers,
Chirba Chirba Dumpling and American Meltdown each providing a course throughout
the evening. Shannon Healy of Alley Twenty Six mixed drinks for attendees, and
a check that came in that night helped tip the theater over its 90th anniversary
campaign goal of $600,000, which the City of Durham will match.

Unforgettable…
That’s what flowers are at Ninth Street Flowers.
If you or someone you care for appreciates and enjoys
all facets of a blossom’s beauty, give us a call.
We’ll do everything we can to make your flower buying experience unforgettable.

A Happy Scrapiversary
 by Alexis Allston
The Scrap Exchange marked its 25th anniversary with a celebration that included sipping
chocolate from Cocoa Cinnamon, Fullsteam beer samples and a number of special guest
speakers who reflected on the reuse center's impact on Durham. Students from N.C. State
University’s College of Design presented their work in the Cameron Gallery, and the A/V Geeks
screened vintage films. A time capsule that was buried 50 years ago outside of what was then
The Center Theater, and is now home to The Scrap Exchange, was opened, revealing license
plates, photographs, letters and more, which were added to the gallery show.

GAME-CHANGING
INNOVATION.
Duke students to Durham entrepreneurs—Duke I&E
supports the entrepreneurs who are pushing the
boundaries of what’s possible, advancing ideas,
creating solutions and positively impacting the world.

Learn how Duke I&E is encouraging
innovation and inspiring entrepreneurship.
Come visit us at the Bullpen at
215 Morris Street in downtown Durham.
biometrixtech.com
entrepreneurship.duke.edu

• Specializing in dental care for infants, toddlers,
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• Come see us for your child’s first visit... as early as age 1
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Sweet Deal
 by Laura Zolman Kirk
Triangle Family Services held its 14th
annual Gingerbread Benefit at the
Sheraton Imperial Hotel in December,
raising $160,000 to support its mission
of building a stronger community by
strengthening families through safety,
financial stability and mental health
programming.

Historic Moment
 by Laura Zolman Kirk
Museum of Durham History honored Emanuel J. “Mutt” Evans and Sara Evans by
dedicating the Emanuel and Sara Evans History Grove at 308 W. Main St., located
near the mid-century site of the Evans United Dollar Store, in December. The Evans’s
son, Eli Evans, spoke about the influence his father – Durham’s mayor from 1951 to
1963 – and his mother had on the community. The event also included remarks by
Rabbi Daniel Greyber of Beth El Synagogue and Dr. Eric Meyers of the Duke Center
for Jewish Studies.

Pet Projects
 by Robin O'Luanaigh
The Animal Protection Society of Durham held its annual Tails at Twilight Gala
at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club to benefit the Durham shelter and
its animals. More than 260 guests participated in silent and live auctions and
raffles at the Wizard of Oz-themed event, raising $127,500 to help “animals in
need find the yellow brick road to their forever homes.”
16

='
A Slice
of History.
A World
of Possibilities.
Brightleaf Square
features a unique mix
of restaurants and shops
in a pair of historic tobacco
warehouses in
downtown Durham.
Stroll through
the courtyard.
Shop. Eat. Drink.
Come to Brightleaf
for a perfect
afternoon or evening.

One for the Books
 by Morgan Weston
Milk, cookies and pajama-clad book lovers of all ages filled the Book Harvest office
on University Drive in December to celebrate the launch of “The Hole Story,” a new
children’s book by local author and illustrator Daniel Wallace. The proceeds from the
book benefit the organization’s mission of ensuring every child in Durham has books
to read, and it is available at Book Harvest and The Regulator Bookshop in Durham,
Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill and online at theholestory.org.

Sixteen Candles
Girls on the Run (GOTR) of the Triangle celebrated its 16th
anniversary with a dinner gala at the Umstead Hotel & Spa
and a community walk and talk at The Frontier in RTP. Sports
icon and special guest Kathrine Switzer spoke at both events.
The dinner raised more than $43,000, nearly three times the
organization’s fundraising goal, which goes directly to the
scholarship fund that makes the program accessible to all
girls, regardless of family income. “Because of this openhearted support and belief in our mission, more girls will have
the tools and gifts of courage, confidence and compassion,”
said GOTR Executive Director Juliellen Simpson-Vos.
18

ince its founding 13 seasons ago, the Durham Children’s
Choir has instructed hundreds of area singers and
performs sacred and secular songs annually at events like
Durham Community Martin Luther King Jr. Steering Committee’s
Unity March and Rally at First Presbyterian Church (pictured
here) as well as Duke Chapel’s Blessing of the Animals and
Christmas Eve services. The choir has traveled across North
Carolina and the world, too.
“The Durham Children’s Choir was established to bring
young people together in the community,” says artistic director
Dena Byers, who has been with the group since its inception.

“Music is the vehicle that fosters leadership,
a sense of self-worth, teamwork and pride.”
The upper division Bel Canto choir is
currently 66 voices strong, representing
fifth- to 10th-graders from 32 area schools.
New this year is Cantare, the chorus’s nonauditioned preparatory choir for second- to
fourth-graders. Bel Canto will visit the Big
Apple in April, performing at Carnegie Hall
under the direction of Indianapolis Children’s
Choir’s Henry Leck.

San Jose-based software company Nutanix opened
its largest east coast office in the Chesterfield
Building, located on West Main Street.

Send
us you
news! r
From b
irth

s to a
to ne
noted w biz and mwards
@durh
o
amma re –
g.com

What we’ve heard around town …

Siblings Peter Pieraccini of Durham and Catherine
Enright of New York have started Exoceuticals,
with manufacturing and distribution operations
based in Durham. The company’s product, eXO,
is a skin care line based on research by Peter’s
biotech firm Zen Bio Inc.

In the News
American Assembly for Men in Nursing approved
a new chapter at Durham Technical Community
College in November, making Durham Tech the
first North Carolina community college to have a
local chapter of the national organization.

Durham Distillery was the runner-up in USA
Today’s “Best Craft Gin Distillery” category of the
10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2016.

Wildflower Cottage for Children, a Reggioinspired childcare business, opened in January on
West Cornwallis Road. Founder Krissy Snyder will
serve as the executive director.

What an Honor

JB Duke Hotel, located on Science Drive,

opened in January. The new sister hotel to the
Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club features 198
guestrooms and 20,850 square feet of meeting
and event spaces.
In December, Maryland-based public health
research company Social & Scientific Systems
Inc. opened new offices in Durham on Emperor
Boulevard.
Jennings Brody’s new children’s store, Tiny, is
open on Parrish Street beside Chet Miller.
After 11 years, Bull City Arts Collaborative has
closed its Foster Street location. Letterpress print
shop and book production studio Horse & Buggy
Press has moved to Broad Street.
22

In January, City of Durham launched Bull City
Today, a daily video series updating the public on
all things Durham.
VacationIdea.com listed Sarah P. Duke Gardens
and Museum of Life and Science as two of the 25
best things to do in North Carolina.
Realtor.com named Durham-Chapel Hill the 11th
largest metro market in the U.S. in the website’s
“2017 National Housing Forecast.”
Citi IO listed Durham as one of the top 10 best
American cities for working moms based on figures
like median salary for full-time female workers
($43,554) and medium home price ($225,000).

The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation
granted Durham Tech Foundation $3,500 to
support the college’s Harvest Food Pantry
Initiative that provides sustainable, healthy
options to students, faculty and staff through
food pantry supplies and food education
programming.
City of Durham Mayor Bill Bell was named
to The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of
the highest honors the Governor can confer,
for exemplary service and outstanding
contribution to North Carolina.
Christian Benitez, a senior in the Emily
Krzyzewski
Center’s
Scholars
to College
program,
is the first
scholar to
head to Duke
University.

| noted |
The Durham-Chapel Hill area was listed at No. 10
on GoodCall’s list of “Top 100 Places for Women
Entrepreneurs” based on networking potential,
business climate, educational values and
economic health.

And the Award
Goes to …

Dana Corcoran, principal of Immaculata Catholic
School, was awarded the 2016 Dandy Award from
the National Catholic Board on Full Inclusion.

Dr. Mary Ann Danowitz, dean of N.C. State
University’s College of Education, presented Dr.
Bill Ingram, Durham Technical Community College
president, with the 2016 I.E. Ready Distinguished
Leader Award for his service, leadership and
impact in the community college sector.
In September, BuildSense won the USGBC
North Carolina Sustainable Business “Talking
Walls” Award for representing excellence in
sustainability, leadership and innovation.

Great for First
Time Backyard
Bird Feeders
Excellent
Addition to Your
Existing Setup

American Dance Festival is accepting submissions
for its 2017 Movies by Movers festival until Feb. 12.
Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas will host Durham
Second Tuesdays each month to help rally
around marginalized groups, donating a portion
of sales to the nonprofits that support them.

New Developments
The Jack Tar Hotel, currently being renovated
by Austin Lawrence Partners and Center Studio
Architecture, is set to open as the Unscripted
Durham Hotel in the spring, featuring 74 hotel
rooms, a rooftop deck and retail space.

Durham County Library’s Main Library closed in
January for a massive renovation that is projected
to wrap up in late 2018. A comprehensive literacy
and technology center, an expanded North
Carolina Collection and a public outdoor plaza,
among other advancements, will be added to
the 36-year-old structure. MakerLab’s STEAM
education opportunities, the North Carolina
Collection and Friends of the Library book sales
will relocate to Northgate Mall during construction.

In December, Duke University named Vincent
Price its 10th president. Most recently, he served
as provost of University of Pennsylvania. He will
succeed Richard Brodhead in July.

Woodcroft Shopping Center

|

Director of Durham Technical Community
College’s Small Business Center, LaShon Harley,
received North Carolina Community College
System Small Business Center Network’s
Innovation Award for Programs and Seminars for
her work with the Food Business Summit, which
delivered entrepreneurial training to participants.

Nonprofits Book Harvest, SEEDS and Student U
were recognized as GSK IMPACT Award winners,
receiving $40,000 each, for the organizations’
work towards building a healthy community.

February/March 2017

Hoyt Tessener joined the Law Offices of James
Scott Farrin in December. Hoyt brings 28 years
and more than 100 trials worth of experience to
the practice.
Dr. Michael R. Zenn, most recently of Duke
University Medical Center, joined the CARE Plastic
Surgery practice of Dr. Brian S. Coan in January.

Immaculata
Catholic School
children served
the community on
Giving Tuesday,
which involved
collectively bagging
300 lunches for
distribution at Urban Ministries of Durham.
Durham Living Wage Project reached a milestone
of 100 certified living wage employers in
November last year.

Northgate News

Total Fitness Studio – owned and operated by Iris
Reese – opened at Northgate Mall in November.
Educational assessment company Measurement
Incorporated, too, has opened up shop at
Northgate with a new 20,750-square-foot location
adjoining the Sears’ first floor.
Macy’s will close in spring of 2017.
Hosted by Carolina Friends School, Duke’s
Sanford School of Public Policy, Lakewood
Avenue Children’s School and UNC School of
Education, Wonder of Learning: The Hundreds
of Languages of Children – an international,
7,000-square-foot exhibit – is on display on
weekends at the mall until May.

PHOTO COURTESY CHIOKE BROWN/ NCCU

In Memoriam

North Carolina Central University’s first
permanent female chancellor, Dr. Debra
Saunders-White, passed away November 26,
2016, at the age of 59.

26

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February/March 2017

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BELL
After 45 years in public office, Mayor Bill Bell chooses to pass the baton this year

 by Briana Brough

W

HO WILL BE THE NEXT MAYOR IS UNCLEAR
(“I’m going to endorse Cora Cole-McFadden,” Mayor Bell says. “And
if Steve Schewel runs then I’ll have two friends in the race.”) but he
is leaving the stage on a decidedly high note. Durham is doing well
by most any metric, so we thought it was a good time to sit down with the mayor and
ask him to reflect on some of the highs and lows of his time in office. Asked why he
was leaving at the end of this term, he said, simply, “It’s just time.” An IBM retiree
and current COO of UDI Community Development Corp., a nonprofit organization,
with six grandchildren, the mayor is not wanting for things to do.
Here, an edited transcript of our conversation:

28

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February/March 2017

You were first elected mayor in 2001. You’ve led Durham
through some interesting times.
They’ve been interesting for me.
Well, you started your public service in 1972.
Yes, as a county commissioner.
What prompted you to get
in the political arena in the
first place?
I was president of my [Emory
Woods] neighborhood association
and there was a re-zoning matter
that came up. As president of
the association, I was asked to
carry the argument before the
planning committee and county
commissioners. We ended up losing.
So you got the bug?
It wasn’t so much the bug. What
happened was that I was young and
probably naïve enough to think that
if you can’t beat them, why not try
to join them? So I ran for Board of
County Commissioners since they
were who made the decision. It was
in ’72, and I was fortunate enough to
get elected. So that sort of changed
my direction in terms of what I was
doing.
How do you like the high
visibility of being mayor?
You know the thing about electoral politics is nobody forces
you to do it. It’s a choice. It’s a choice between you and the
voters, and if both of you agree, you’re in it, and if you don’t
agree, then you’re doing something else. So in that respect
I’ve enjoyed it. But being on TV or seeing my picture published or
doing media interviews, with respect, is not important to
me at all at this stage.
There is a brief gap in your service …
Yes. I lost an election in 1994. We had gone through merging [the city
and county] schools in 1992, and of course people say that’s why I lost.

But I think I lost because No. 1, I didn’t get enough votes, and No. 2, it
was part of the Republican revolution.
Losing didn’t sour you on public service?
No, or else I wouldn’t have come back in ’96 and get re-elected. But I
thought I was done in 2000.
Let’s talk about the City of
Durham a little bit. What
prompted you to run for
mayor in 2001?
I wasn’t looking at doing
anything politically, but I had
some people who I had known
over the years ask if I would
consider running for mayor.
That was a big decision for
me because it was a personal
decision and plus I knew the
[incumbent]. Nick [Tennyson]
and I were friends. In fact, I went
to his event when he announced
that he was going to run again
for mayor. That’s just how far
away the notion of running for
mayor was in my mind.
Did you have a sense of the
scope of the mayoral job?
I never really focused on it, so I
really didn’t know how big of a job
it was. I really didn’t.
When you came into office in 2001, this was a different city.
Durham probably didn’t have the best of images in the Triangle. The
downside to living here is there is an inevitable comparison among
Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cary and all in between. Durham was
sort of the stepchild in the Triangle, in my opinion. Realtors would
tend to send people to Raleigh or Chapel Hill, not Durham. A lot of
that had to do with the schools to a certain extent. Another thing is
that RTP’s C-level executives all lived in Raleigh, Cary and so on. Not
all of them. Glaxo made a commitment to Durham. I remember [a
Glaxo executive] told me that he told his executives, when they looked
for a house, he wanted them to look first in Durham. I didn’t know if
he was putting me on. But they walked the walk. 
February/March 2017

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durhammag.com

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29

| Mayor Bell |
The economic engine that we have today didn’t exist
when you first became mayor.

And so we did. How would you characterize the current
state of race relations? Better, worse? Different, same?

Well, when I came here in 1972, the tobacco factories were still
booming. When I first campaigned, I went to the factory to knock
on the doors and stood outside. They didn’t start going down until
the late ’70s, early ’80s. So you have that combination of things
that were happening in our community that weren’t happening in
Raleigh or Cary or Chapel Hill. So that’s another thing that didn’t
make our city as attractive as other cities that people were moving
to. That was Durham.

It depends on where you are.

The Duke-Durham relationship seems
to be as good as it’s ever been. How
would you characterize it?
I’ve worked with four presidents – Terry
Sanford, Keith Brodie, Nan Keohane and
now Dick Brodhead – and in each of those
administrations the relationship between
Durham and Duke has improved.
In what ways?
I think that the lacrosse issue highlighted
some issues.
I imagine that incident was allconsuming for you.
To a certain extent it got to be. The media
attention was constant.

• “DPAC and the American
Tobacco Campus were
started and successfully
completed through a
combination of public/
private partnerships.”

What issues did the lacrosse episode raise?
I think it pointed out some issues that we had in this community,
but I think it also pointed out how they could be handled in a
better way. We still talked, we had meetings over at Duke’s campus,
over at [N.C.] Central’s campus, and we were able to keep people
involved. I remember Jesse Jackson called me and asked if I wanted
him to come in. He said it looks like I handled it well, “… but if
you want me to come in I can. I don’t want to throw gas on the
fire,” he said. I told him no, I thought we’d be able to get through it.
And we did.
durhammag.com

|

February/March 2017

So generally speaking, how are we doing?

Poverty Reduction Initiative
in northeast central Durham.
Hopefully this will be an
ongoing effort.”

I tried to. As well as point out the fact that we didn’t know
all the facts.

|

Yes, very much.

I think we’re doing well, considering the things that are going
on nationally. We appreciate diversity and we think that it’s a
positive so we try to lean on that as
much as we can. The fact that you’ve got
such widespread diversity at all levels of
government is a positive and very unique,
#proudmayor
in my experience.
A few items Mayor Bell
cites as milestones
I think that makes a difference. But by
during his tenure.
the same token, it sort of also begs the
• “The revitalization of
question of, “Why wouldn’t you have a
northeast central Durham
certain level of activism when racial issues
and much of the Southside
community.”
come up?” You’re going to. But I think we
learn from [incidents] as a result.
• “Beginning a data-driven

My memory is that you were always
ready to talk it through to reporters.

30

Durham is proud of its diversity. Would you agree
with that?

Durham handles friction well.
By being a mayor, I’m involved with
mayors across the country and when I
listen to some of the issues that they have
and the challenges they have, I think we’re
doing well.

I asked several people what they
thought of your leadership skills,
what your best characteristic was. One person summed it
up this way: “He’s a great listener. You might not think he’s
keyed in when his eyes are closed but he’s listening.”
I’ve heard that I listen well. And just because I don’t do what you
said doesn’t mean I wasn’t listening. I just didn’t agree with you. I
feel that we have some very intelligent people in this community.
Typically, if you’re sitting around a table and an issue comes up,
somebody’s going to say what you might’ve thought about saying.
I often just let them say it. Where I come in is when I think the
point that should’ve been raised hasn’t been raised.
Any second thoughts on leaving the stage?
No. Everything has to come to an end, eventually.

FREEDOM TO DREAM.
FREEDOM TO BELIEVE.
FREEDOM TO BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY.

LiveFearlessNC.com

An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. U12893, 1/17

Hit the
Road

For me, Lake Gaston is
the place. The Pointe at
Lake Gaston in Littleton,
N.C. (it’s a restaurant, bar
and tiki hut with a marina
next door) is a great spot
to watch a sunset or rent
a boat for a day and
enjoy the lake.”
Thorne Daubenspeck,
Director of Sponsorship
and Digital Sales

Glen Burney Trail
and Glen Marie Falls
Trail in Blowing Rock
Tucked away but easily
accessible from town, these
adjacent trails offer great falls
you can wade in, are dogfriendly and not too strenuous.
The trails also have a small,
designated parking lot and are
a short walk from downtown
Blowing Rock, where you can
visit dozens of locally owned
shops, restaurants and wine
vendors.

We’ve been up to Boone several times and loved it!
Go on a hike on Rough Ridge, right off the Blue Ridge
Parkway. Head to Grandfather Mountain’s swinging
bridge. Then enjoy a great dinner at Vidalia (get the
fig and prosciutto salad and one of their comforting
pasta dishes). Stay at the Lovill House Inn bed and
breakfast – it’s super quaint with extremely warm
hosts and a light, social breakfast. And shopping at
the Mast General Store is a must!”
Rory Kelly Gillis, Senior VP of Publishing

We really love Hickory Nut Gap Farm out near
Asheville. We’ve been in the fall mostly, but they host a
number of fun events for families throughout the year,
like Friday Night Barn dances that start in the spring.
It’s a beautiful little farm with delicious food and a
really fun gift shop. And the view couldn’t be better.”
Cait Hawley, Digital Service Representative

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PIEDMONT

Umstead State Park in Raleigh
A fantastic spot for hiking and camping, the park has
several options of trail lengths and two convenient
access points (Reedy Creek or Crabtree Creek). Each
trail provides beautiful scenery, river views and relatively
moderate inclines. Several sections also include remnants
of the Company Mill, ruins of homesteads and even some
gravesites. Well-insulated from major roads, visitors can
enjoy a break from the hustle and bustle and tune in to
the peaceful sounds of flowing water, singing birds and
crunching leaves underfoot.

One of my favorite under-theradar roadside spots is The Biscuit
Company (there’s one in Asheboro
and one in Ramseur). Their fluffy
chicken biscuit could give my local
favorite, Sunrise Biscuit in Chapel
Hill, some stiff competition.”
Jessica Stringer, Executive Editor,
Chapel Hill Magazine

Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky
Located in the North Carolina Museum of Art park,
this human-size camera obscura reflects the sky onto the
walls around you. Shut the door, take a seat and wait a few
moments for your eyes to adjust to the darkness – soon
peaceful, slow-rolling clouds and swaying tree branches
will surround you.

For a quick, not so far off,
getaway, Riggins (pictured
right) and I like to hike
around the Occoneechee
Mountain State Natural
Area in Hillsborough. It’s
perfect for quick, nonstrenuous hiking. There
are both wooded spaces
and open green spaces,
making it a great place for
furry friends to tag along.”
Chelsea Rush,
Marketing Manager

FOOTHILLS

Hanging Rock State Park
in Danbury
About 40 minutes north of
Winston-Salem, awesome hikes
include one trail leading down
to a waterfall, and another leading up to the giant stone cliff for which the
park is named. Reward yourself for your hard work with a pint at Foothills
Brewing as you head back to Durham.
Fonta Flora Brewery in Morganton
Easy to get to on your way to Asheville or Charlotte from the Durham area,
their beer is described as “Appalachian style,” and they source everything
from ingredients to bottle art locally. Dogs and kids are welcome and they
offer some snacks, making the tasting room a great afternoon pit stop.

COAST

Barnyard Antiques in Burgaw
This unique shop features room after room of things you never
knew you needed. If all that shopping works up your appetite, pop
across the street to Holland’s Shelter Creek for fresh, fried seafood,
frog legs and veggies.
Fat Pelican at Carolina Beach
An amazing place for those 21 and older
to spend an afternoon, it has become
one of the most popular dive bars in the
state. Walk into the cooler in the back
and select your brew of choice, ask the
bartender to open it for you and make
your way to the backyard sand pit, where
picnic tables and games like cornhole
await you.
‘The Lost Colony’
The legend of the lost Roanoke colony
lives on every summer from May
through August on the Outer Banks,
and is a must-see for all ages. The longest-running symphonic drama
received the Tony Honor for Excellence In Theatre in 2013; the 2017
season marks the 80th anniversary of the show.
For a full list of our road trip recommendations,
head to durhammag.com.

CROP Hunger Walk
April 2
Combining fun and fundraising for hunger
relief, Durham’s walk is the nation’s third
largest with between 1,200-1,700 people
from local church, business, nonprofit and
school groups participating every year.

Ƃo
see
do

The Bodyguard
March 14-19
With a playlist chock-full of classics like “I
Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance
with Somebody,” you won’t want to miss
out on this award-winning musical and
romantic thriller based on the 1992 film of
the same name at the Durham Performing
Arts Center.

The hottest events
in February & March

John Waters
March 9
The filmmaker and comedian brings his
one-man show, “This Filthy World: Dirtier
and Filthier,” to The Carolina Theatre.

‘Nänie’ and ‘Te Deum’
Feb. 26
The Choral Society of Durham, Duke Chorale
and Durham Medical Orchestra tackle
the works of Brahms and Kodály at Baldwin
Auditorium.

February/March 2017

Hayti Heritage Film Festival
Feb. 8-11
Catch one – or all – of the diverse short and
full-length films of, by or about people of
African descent at the Hayti Heritage Center.

TASTE 2017
Forts Pop-Up Exhibit

April 20-23
Pick up your tickets now for TASTE 2017, featuring a new regional Grand TASTE,
wine vs. beer showdown, a gluten-free feast and much, much more.

March 1-19
Relive a beloved childhood pastime by
constructing your own tunnels, tents and secret
hideaways using everyday materials when you
visit the Museum of Life and Science. And don’t
forget to check out the new permanent outdoor
exhibit in Gateway Park, Sound Garden, where
musicians of all skill levels – kids and adults
alike – can experiment with rhythm, resonance
and the relationships of sounds while playing
on a variety of instruments.

Durham Mardi Gras
Feb. 28
Get your krewe together and take
part in this New Orleans-style parade
marching from the CCB Plaza down
Foster Street to Riggsbee Avenue,
ending with bands at Motorco Music
Hall, The Blue Note Grill, Fullsteam, the
bar and The Pit.

‘Dreaming
of Lions’
Nevermore
Film Festival
Feb. 24-26
This is a must for all horror, science fiction,
dark fantasy, animation and mystery/suspense
film fans. The juried competition festival at
The Carolina Theatre – now in its 18th year –
showcases brand-new genre feature and short
films from around the world.
PHOTO CREDITS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): FORTS POP-UP
EXHIBIT COURTESY MUSEUM OF LIFE AND SCIENCE; TASTE BY
BRIANA BROUGH; DURHAM MARDI GRAS BY DAVID GELLATLY;
'DREAMING OF LIONS' COURTESY DUKE PERFORMANCES;
NEVERMORE COURTESY THE CAROLINA THEATRE

For a full calendar of events,
visit durhammag.com.

Feb. 24-25
Cuba's Malpaso Dance
Company joins forces with
the 10-piece Afro Latin
Jazz Ensemble, fronted by
bandleader Arturo O’Farrill,
for the U.S. premiere of
this piece, presented by
Duke Performances. The
musicians and 10 dancers
from the company interpret

Ernest Hemingway’s “The
Old Man and the Sea” into
song and dance at Reynolds
Industries Theater.

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| entrepreneurs |

Joint Ventures
Durham and Duke partnership moves downtown

R

 by Howie Rhee • hwr2@duke.edu

Many of these entrepreneurs have also benefited from having Duke
I&E downtown, from using our co-working space to catch up on calls
and emails to utilizing our conference rooms for meetings.
I moved to Durham in 2001 to attend Duke’s Fuqua School of
Business. At that time, entrepreneurship in Durham was very spread
out, with most entrepreneurial efforts concentrated in the Research
Triangle Park. Intersouth Partners, the biggest
venture capital fund in the area at the time,
was in Durham but not downtown.
Since then, it’s been amazing to see the
Duke’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship
trajectory of Durham and to know that Duke
Initiative (Duke I&E) was the second piece of
is playing an integral role in that growth.
the Durham Innovation District to take shape.
Many efforts around entrepreneurship
Last August, Duke I&E moved its offices
began to take shape in 2013. At Duke, the
from campus to Morris Street, opening a space
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative
in the historic Imperial Building called The
was born, and in Durham, the American
Bullpen, enabling students to access Durham’s
Underground opened in American Tobacco
startup community, and vice versa.
Campus.
The Durham Innovation District is being
The partnership between these two was
developed by Longfellow Real Estate Partners
strong from the beginning. Duke I&E’s vice
in collaboration with Duke and Measurement
provost and director, Eric Toone, collaborated
The author is the managing director
Incorporated. By the time the project is
with Adam Klein, chief strategist for the
of student and alumni affairs for
Duke’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship
complete, downtown will feature 1 million
American Underground. Duke provides
Initiative. He lives in Carrboro
square feet of new offices and labs, providing a
support for American Underground, and in
with his wife and three children.
space for tech jobs and other startups, as well
turn, Duke ventures can take advantage of
as 300,000 square feet of new residential units.
the vibrant entrepreneurship community that
The idea is to create even more startup density
exists there – such as BioMetrix, a wearable
in the city, which is crucial for an entrepreneurial ecosystem to thrive.
athletic training device created by Duke alumna Ivonna Dumanyan,
Duke is also sponsoring the newest phase of the Durham Innovation class of ’16.
District, the renovation of the Chesterfield building on South Duke
Dumanyan’s story is one of how this entrepreneurial ecosystem
Street and West Main Street, which will offer more office and lab space, should work. She started her company while at Duke, developed it
as well as a central atrium where people can convene and discuss ideas.
through our Melissa & Doug Entrepreneurs program and is now
For Duke I&E, having a space downtown has been tremendous
working on her business in Durham, in American Underground office
and has only served to strengthen the connection between the Duke
space owned by Duke I&E.
community and Durham’s network of entrepreneurs. From The
I work to make and foster connections between students and
Bullpen, we can walk to American Underground and other startups.
entrepreneurs. It’s awesome to be a part of the community and have
We can walk to the same restaurants and bars that these entrepreneurs
a meaningful bond with someone – and to be able to introduce that
frequent, which just leads to more serendipitous connections among
person to others and create new bonds. It feels like we’re all building
members of Duke and Durham’s entrepreneurial community.
something together, and that’s a feeling I really enjoy.
ECENTLY, DUKE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT RICHARD BRODHEAD

wrote in a column for The News & Observer about the
university’s intentional relationship with Durham. “Duke
and Durham chose each other, and our destinies are still
entwined,” he wrote.
Over the last several years, Duke and Durham have continued to join
forces on exciting projects that will shape the
futures of both our city and our university, such
as the 15-acre Durham Innovation District,
already underway just west of downtown.

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John Frick DDS, MS

GREAT SMILES,
GREAT SERVICE!

We are excited to announce that Dr. John Frick
and his excellent staff are joining our team!
• FREE Consultation
• Caring and Dedicated Staff
• Insurance Accepted

THE MAN
WHO TOOK
THE 'HA' OUT
OF DURM
Clothing brand founder
tells the story of Durham
and gives back to the city
he grew up in through his art

G

abriel Eng-Goetz’s signature

“DURM” line of clothing has caught
on since he launched in 2011, but
the sheer velocity of enthusiasm still
takes him by surprise. “People embrace [our
Runaway] brand so much, and that is so

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Five entrepreneurs who are making a go
of it in the Bull City
ď&#x20AC;° by Briana Brough

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43

| entrepreneurs |
powerful and special to me,” he says. “But at the same
time, it’s like, ‘Who am I?’ I’m just some dude from
Durham who decided to take his art and really put it
out there.”
The Jordan High (class of ’04) alum’s inspiration for
the line came while traveling abroad after graduating
from Syracuse University. “I knew that I wanted to start a
fashion label, but I just didn’t quite know the identity of it
yet,” Gabe, 31, explains. “And I was searching for my own
identity, too – really, Runaway is an exploration of identity
not only for myself but also for the city of Durham.
“At first it was mostly just an artistic experiment; I
was making clothing for me and my friends,” he says.
“Once people started taking notice, they’d offer to
Save the
buy the T-shirt off my back. I was like, ‘Okay,
Date
The Run
maybe I can make a little money off of this.’”
aways
Februar
y 23
He first took his shirts to Morgan Imports,
A screen
ing of fiv
"R
e
u
fi
n
lms from
a
ways
to see if they’d be interested in selling his
plus the " documentary s the
e
d
products. “Luckily, they gave me a shot,” he
on pupp ebut of a new fi ries,
et maste
lm
r
a
t
Ji
the Full
G
says, becoming the first of many retailers who
Frame T hetto,
heater.
have carried Runaway items. As Gabe continued
to find more stores interested in stocking his items,
he took the entrepreneurial plunge, quit his day job
as a graphic designer – his B.F.A. is in illustration –
at Body Billboards and after a months-long trip to
Central America to prepare himself, went full-time into
Runaway and freelance art.
That was almost six years ago. Today, Runaway
produces everything from T-shirts to socks to pants
to hats to shirts to jackets – you can now dress top to
bottom in Runaway gear for prices ranging from $12 for
a pair of “DURM” gym socks to $100 for a Durham Bulls
replica jersey. They sell online at runawayclothes.com and
at a handful of local outlets, in addition to their flagship
store on West Main Street.
Runaway has also collaborated with local groups.
“A lot of the brand is just trying to quench a creative
thirst, and working with other people really does
that for me,” he says. “Never underestimate the power
of collaboration.”
Gabe says the company has experienced 300% growth
over the past year, but he measures success in other ways
as well. “[The brand] is taking not only my message,
but Durham’s message, all over the world,” Gabe says.
“It’s starting conversations with people, creating a link,
creating friendships. And that’s really what it’s
all about.” – Amanda MacLaren 
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| entrepreneurs |

FAST FACTS
No. of Employees 4, currently looking to hire another
retail associate and then fill a sales and marketing
role in second quarter this year.

THE CAN-DOER
Recently named to Forbes’ 2017
30-Under-30 list in the food
and drink industry, MATI Energy
drink founder Tatiana Birgisson’s
passion is fueled by her own
product – literally
 by Jennifer Brookland

E

very now and then – usually as she dangles
from a rock face or climbing wall – 27-yearold Tatiana Birgisson stops thinking about
how she’s going to take MATI, the energy
drink company she founded, to the next level.
These moments are fleeting. For someone whose
company motto is “Do More. Be Better.”, Tatiana
relentlessly pushes herself to improve.
That kind of drive has taken MATI from a
dorm room hobby to the best-selling energy drink
in the Southeast. Tatiana started brewing tea as
a student at Duke University, as she struggled
to find her passion amidst a bout of depression.
When she started selling that concoction to local
business Shoeboxed, employees preferred her
unique blend of highly caffeinated guayusa leaf
tea and lightly carbonated fruit juices to Red Bull.
“I’m offering consumers a healthy option
when there truly aren’t healthy options for them,”
Tatiana says.
Selected to compete at Google’s Demo Day
in 2015, MATI was the surprise non-tech victor,
taking home $100,000 in funding along with new
notoriety. MATI grew by more than 131% last year,
and Tatiana took her team from five people to 20.
Tatiana also received support from Duke,
which continues to house MATI in a universityfunded space in American Underground
@Main. She gives back by mentoring student
entrepreneurs. “I can’t say I want Durham to
become a great entrepreneurship hub without
being a change agent and a driver of that myself,”
she says.
And she continues to constantly push herself
and her company. “Trying isn’t just putting in
effort," Tatiana says, "It’s sacrifice.” 

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FAST FACTS
Growth MATI is now sold in about 500 stores in seven
Southern states, possibly growing to 1,500 outlets in
2017. Sales of MATI in North Carolina almost tripled, and
e-commerce sales quintupled from 2015 numbers. MATI
also opened a 30,000 sq. ft. manufacturing and warehouse
facility in Clayton.
Tatiana’s Favorite MATI Flavor Tropical. MATI is currently
available in three flavors (cherry, tropical and citrus) with
more being tested.
Amount of Caffeine in Each Can 115 mg, the equivalent of
one-and-a-half cups of coffee. Guayusa leaves are the
second-most caffeinated plant in the world.

| entrepreneurs |
Cans of MATI Sold About 750,000. Citrus is the
best-selling flavor.
Advice for Young Entrepreneurs Be connected to
the problem, not the solution.
Company Culture Everyone who reports to Tatiana has
relocated for the opportunity. As someone who never had
a boss before she started her company, she says she tries
to put herself in her employees’ shoes and relies on the
team to uphold shared values.
Biggest Challenge MATI’s fast-paced growth means Tatiana
has to hire people who will be the best for the job – and
for whatever that job looks like in a few months.

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| entrepreneurs |

SOFA,
SO GOOD
For these furniture
entrepreneurs, the Bull City
is the perfect hub
 by Laura Zolman Kirk

D

avid Baron and Ryan Cocca have

been pursuing a passion for the past
four years: the Nugget, a foam couch
composed of four pieces that can be
stacked and manipulated into any shape one
can imagine. What started as a mission to find
a replacement for a dorm futon has evolved, as
the utility of a Nugget makes it the perfect “fun
furniture” choice for kids’ playrooms to multipurpose rooms. Build a teepee, gaming system,
lounge chair or bed. Or stack a couple Nuggets
for a full-sized sectional. “A family in Vermont
bought 11,” Ryan (at right, on ladder) dishes.
The more Nuggets, the more possibilities.
Nuggets are made from N.C.-sourced
materials, then built, packaged and shipped by
Ryan, 26, and David, 28, in a converted tobacco
warehouse in east Durham. And unlike the
threadbare bean bag chair currently taking up
residence in your kids’ bedroom, the Nugget is
durable enough to grow with the child, “from
babies to teens and beyond,” Ryan says.
David and Ryan are grateful for a successful
Kickstarter campaign (which raised nearly
$85,000, surpassing the original goal of
$20,000 in less than a day) and partnerships
with big brands like Rooms To Go and
Wayfair.com, but they are most jazzed to
be based in Durham, and specifically in the
American Underground @Main startup hub.
“[Our setup] is simply unbeatable,” Ryan says.
David agrees: “We hear about how
storytelling, cash flows, teamwork and
product development play out in other
businesses, and we’re constantly weaving it
into our own thinking.” 

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| entrepreneurs |

FAST FACTS

•
•
•

Nugget launched in November 2014 after two
years of development and crowdfunding.
Nuggetcomfort.com rolled out a year later.
As of press time, the company is still at two
employees, with David and Ryan handling each
order that comes in (although there are plans
to add a production position).
During Black Friday weekend last year, 145 Nugget
orders rolled in. “David slept in our warehouse for a
week,” Ryan says. “Luckily he had Nuggets to sleep on.”

•
•
•

Nugget’s innovative packaging – designed by
David and Ryan – allows a whole Nugget to arrive
vacuum-sealed in a 15x16x34-inch box.
In their early stages, both Nugget and Mati
Energy shared the warehouse. Now Runaway
and Bee Downtown utilize some of Nugget’s
space for storage. “[It’s] fun to all be together,”
David says.
Next on the horizon? “Amazon,” Ryan says.

efore she opened her downtown boutique, before
she practiced psychiatry for 10 years in Durham,
and before she studied medicine at UNC,
Dr. Rebecca Kuhns, 35, was an international studies
major at Yale. As an undergrad with an earnest interest in
fashion, she was deeply moved when she learned of the
social injustices in the industry, including the shockingly
poor working conditions and low wages for seamstresses
in third-world countries. “That’s when I started paying
attention to where my clothes came from,” Rebecca says.
She opened Liberation Threads at 405-A E. Chapel
Hill St. in November to make fair trade clothes available
to style-conscious women. “I want it to be a space where
women feel good, both about themselves and about the
clothes they’re buying,” Rebecca says. This goal is not so
different from that of the psychiatric practice she closed
last April, where she had focused on empowering her
female clients, “liberating” them from inner turmoil.
“It was a wild year,” Rebecca says. She stepped away
from the practice to accept what she considered a good job
opportunity at a hospital in Raleigh. The new job allowed
her to be closer to her ailing mother, and living in Raleigh
eased her husband’s commute. However, working in a
hospital environment didn’t suit her, so she took a step

back to evaluate her career. “I did a lot of soul-searching,”
she says, “and ended up focusing in on a lifelong dream. I’d
always planned to open a shop closer to retirement, but my
incredibly supportive husband felt the timing was perfect.
He asked, ‘Why not now?’”
While Rebecca, her husband, Peter, and 2-year-old
daughter, Shiloh, had moved to Raleigh, they hadn’t sold
their Durham home, and Rebecca knew where she wanted
to open her store.
“I love Durham,” she says, having lived here during
medical school and throughout her time in private practice.
“I love the history, which is a testament to inclusiveness,
a place where black-owned businesses were thriving long
before they were in other parts of the country. Durham is
artsy, creative and diverse. It is unique in the Triangle – I
never considered anywhere else for the shop.”
Rebecca and Peter are the sole investors in Liberation
Threads, a “huge, scary leap,” she says. But she is also
confident that it was the right choice at the right time.
The first month was encouraging, she says, and the shop
attracted a large amount of foot traffic from customers
who love the clothes and yet had never heard of fair trade.
Rebecca and her associates are only too happy to share
their story. 

FAST FACTS
No. of Employees Two assistant managers
More Than a Name “Liberation Threads” has
a double meaning: It supports the economic
liberation of women around the world, and
Rebecca hopes her carefully curated collection
will “liberate” her clients and encourage openmindedness.
Stepping Out in Style “Most of our clothes don’t
scream, 'I am fair trade,'” Rebecca says. “These are
simple clothes for women to wear everyday,” she

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says. “They are pretty and appropriate for wearing
to work or for a day out on the town.”
Affordably Chic Many of the clothes have the
added benefit of being eco-friendly, fashionable
and are at price points that appeal to a range
of customers, with mid-ranges of about $40-$75
for tops, skirts and pants, $70-$90 for dresses,
and $20-$219 for totes and handbags. Clothing
sources include Mata Traders, which imports
from India, and Elevation Trade, which imports
from Nepal.

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SWING AWAY
Baseball Rebellion returns to its Durham roots in August
with a major training facility for athletes of all levels
 by Laura Zolman Kirk

W

hen Chas Pippitt started what is now
Baseball Rebellion – a multi-faceted
baseball training company that is about
to open a 13,000-square-foot facility on
Bennett Memorial Road in August – it was just “me, a
bucket of balls and a prayer,” he says of his days giving
lessons out of barns and backyard batting cages back in
2007. Before moving his company to its Hillsborough
location in 2011, Chas (pronounced Chaz), 34, had
personally taught 9,000 lessons. “When snow happened,
I would chop wood, build a fire, and the moms and the
dads would sit by the fire,” Chas says. “I’d be in three
sweat suits, and we’d just coach all day. Those are the
things you do when you are starting a business.”
But business was good, and when he opened the
Hillsborough facility, it got better. Chas started using
new tools to study each throw and swing of the little
leaguers he coached. Soon, he found himself developing
products designed to “make my job easier,” he says, like
the Rebel's Rack, which has been used by both pros
and kids. A big part of his work involves fly-ins of pro
players like Manny Ramirez.
“[Manny was just] asking me for video of Hannah
Morris, who goes to Northern High School, and [longtime
Baseball Rebellion member and University of Cincinnati
player] A.J. Bumpass,” Chas says. “We have 10-year-old
kids that grade out better than some of the Major League
players, as far as how their bodies move in their swing."
That’s what Manny is after.
With Major League Baseball undergoing a human
performance revolution, Chas is ready with the data.

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“We track every ball here,” he says. “[Everything] is
totally quantifiable. We run towards those measurement
tools.” And he relies on his team for consistency, skills
and inspiration. “When people come in, they come
back,” he says, only partly because his staff is well
qualified – he just hired University of Georgia's standout
women's softball player Alex Hugo (who hits the ball
off her bat at an almost unheard-of 90 mph) but also
because they are dedicated, full-time instructors.
Soon Chas and his team will be working 24/7 out of
Durham, where Chas has lived for the past 11 years with
wife Megan and sons Bryant, 3, and newborn Tyson.
“[Durham] is going to be home base, no matter what,”
Chas says.

FAST FACTS

•
•
•

The new facility, taking over the space
vacated by Bull City Gymnastics,
will be 2.5 times the size of the
Hillsborough location.
The total number of members is 225 or
so, taught by six full-time instructors.
“As [Baseball Rebellion’s] kids are
aging, scholarships are flying in,” Chas
says. “We did over $1 million
in scholarships last year, in baseball
and softball.”

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24th Annual

Show

GREATER TRIANGLE

Saturday, March 4, 2017
10:00am – 5:00pm

FREE information provided by industry specialists
including builders, REALTORS®, mortgage companies,
home improvement experts, attorneys and suppliers.
Seminar topics will include buying or selling a home, current market
conditions, remodeling and why home ownership is a smart financial
move, a means to achieving financial security.
For more information visit homeshowtriangle.com
or contact DRAR at 919.403.2117.
Hosted by The Durham Regional Association of REALTORS®
and the Home Builder Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties
DURHAM REGIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

919-308-1681 | livelibertywarehouse.com
Project designed and is built to attain LEED certification.
• High-density building constructed on a previouslydeveloped infill lot, which reduces its carbon footprint.
• Built to provide access to open space.
• Drought resistant plants installed to conserve irrigation
water.
• 80% of waste generated during the construction was
diverted from landfills.
• Less lumber was used during construction due to several
framing efficiency practices.
• 75% of all roofing material was designed to be highly
reflective to reduce energy demand by the buildings
HVAC systems and reduce the neighborhood heat island
effect.
• Building is 15% energy efficient compared with the
building standard.
• Each unit contains air seals and weather stripping on
wall, chases, and windows. Building has been tested and
verified by a 3rd party to ensure a high level of insulation
and air leakage has been installed in each unit.
• HVAC duct systems have been tested to demonstrate
minimal leakage of conditioned air.

• Building contains covered bicycle storage.
• Building contains charging stations for electric vehicles,
and 5% of the parking spaces are reserved for low-emitting vehicles.

We are your

Gordon Baker

LIFETIME
REALTOR.

• Building incorporates over 30 durability strategies that
address various potential environmental risks.

From rental homes to first
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• Faucets and lavatories are low flow and high efficient,
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has also been designed to be highly efficient.
• Each unit has dedicated fresh air intake controls.
• All exhaust fans are ENERGY STAR certified.

• Outstanding Community Resources are available within
1/4mi of building. These include the following:
Arts and entertainment center | Bank
Community or civic center | Convenience store
Daycare center | School | Restauran
Fitness center or gym Medical or dental office
Police station | Place of worship | Supermarket
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class
act
Run the
World

Rio Paralympian Desmond Jackson
blazes his own trail

H

 by Laura Zolman Kirk  by Briana Brough

illside High School senior Desmond Jackson
started competing in track and field at age 8
with the Carolina Cruisers in Charlotte. “Most
of my teammates were wheelchair users,
and I joined as the first amputee,” says Desmond,
whose leg was amputated above the knee due to a
birth defect before he was a year old. In seventh grade,

he started competing with Rogers-Herr Middle School; it was around
that time that Desmond and his mother, Deborah Waddell Jackson, set
their sights on the Paralympics.
“My mom actually got to travel to the 2012 Paralympics in Beijing
with a group of Paralympic hopefuls,” he says, “she came back and
shared the experience with me. After that, [my goal was to try] to
become the youngest African-American amputee to make the 2016 Rio
team.”
He practiced vigorously with the help of personal trainer
Christopher Williams, world record-holding amputee runner and
athlete Kelly Bruno, N.C. Central University track coach Tavius Walker
and current personal coach Jamaal Daniels of Cardinal Gibbons High
School. In September, Desmond’s dreams of joining Team USA became
reality.
Competing in the men’s 100-meter, 200-meter and long jump events,

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| class act |

I got to run alongside athletes
I had only heard about.
The experience itself helped
me to become a better athlete
and individual.”

Desmond describes Rio as an eye-opening adventure. “I got to run
alongside athletes I had only heard about,” he says. “The experience
itself helped me to become a better athlete and individual.”
He didn’t medal, but ranked ninth in the 100-meter and seventh
in long jump. And for the third year in a row, Desmond was named a
U.S. Paralympics Track & Field High School All-American. “It’s a great
feeling!” Desmond says of the accomplishment. But he is quick to
note the milestone could not have been reached without the support
of his family, specifically his mom, late grandfather James E. Waddell
and grandmother Evelyn Waddell, as well as the supportive members
at his church, White Rock Baptist, and his coach. “Coach Daniels
is more than a coach to me,” Desmond says. “He’s a mentor, a role
model, and more like family.”
As he prepares for the 2017 World Championships in Athletics
in July in London and the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo,
Desmond is thankful for the broader Durham community’s support,
too. “Blazing the trail as a challenged athlete isn’t always easy, but
my hometown blazed this path with me,” he says. “They always
encouraged me, cheered me on, and I’ll never forget that.”

62

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February/March 2017

20 YEARS

Smile

and the world smiles with you

W

e are a brand new state of the art
cosmetic and family dental practice focused on
making every patient smile. Our goal is to exceed your
expectations both in quality and experience!
NEW PATIENTS AND DENTAL EMERGENCIES WELCOME

Kiddos at Durham Arts Council’s
Summer Arts Camp work on
paper crafts. The campers learn
how to use textile scraps in order
to create artwork – an exercise in
creativity using what otherwise
might have been discarded.

CHANGE THE WORLD.
Acton Academy Durham is a K-8 Independent school that
uses an innovative project-based approach to prepare
students for the 21st century. We equip students with
the skills, experiences, and tools to passionately pursue
academic excellence and change the world.
Visit our website today to learn more about this
reimagined form of education.

THE SEARCH FOR
YOUR NEW OFFICE
STARTS HERE.
Tenant Representation Services
When looking for office space, you deserve a
local advocate with an expert upper hand to
negotiate the most advantageous lease possible.
Trinity Partners is that advocate. We partner
with companies across the country to execute
successful real estate investments right here in
the Triangle.

DPR offers a safe and inclusive
environment where all children and teens
are encouraged to participate. Committed
to the development of campers’ life skills
through group activities and exposure
to diverse athletic and educational
experiences, it also offers a variety of
specialty camps for teens with disabilities
as well as environmentally friendly and
teen camps.

Offers weekly camps that engage your young
child’s creativity and imagination while
exposing him or her to other languages and
cultures through fun activities, songs and
stories in a multi-age setting.

Ages 2-5
Dates Call or visit website.
Price Call or visit website.
SCHOOLHOUSE OF WONDER
OUTDOOR SUMMER, SCHOOLBREAK,
AND TRACKOUT CAMPS
West Point on the Eno Park, 5101 N.
Roxboro St., Durham; Brumley Forest
Nature Preserve, 3223 New Hope Church
Rd., Chapel Hill; Umstead State Park, 1800
N. Harrison Ave., Cary; Harris Lake County
Park, 2112 County Park Dr., New Hill
919-477-2116; schoolhouseofwonder.org
Whether they attend a single day
or several weeks at our camps, your child
will be engaged in a variety of outdoor
activities — fort building, nature art,
discovering plants and animals in the
forest and creeks, listening to storytellers,
playing original Schoolhouse games and
some games that you might remember
from your own childhood. 

919-383-8800; triangledayschool.org
Fosters the fundamentals of student
growth through field trips, athletic games
and character development. Three days
per week, we explore the educational and
recreational sites of Raleigh, Durham and
Chapel Hill. Multiple age-appropriate games
are offered in basketball, soccer, volleyball,
badminton, yard games and others. Full day
camp integrates the TDS Character program
all summer long through weekly character
traits and the daily character challenge.

Also Offering Group and Individual Tutoring
for K-12 Students
The Hill Center transforms students with learning differences into confident, independent learners. Our Summer Programs do not require an LD/ADHD diagnosis.

Friendly and affectionate, Hiram will do
well in a calm, loving home where he’ll
have kind guidance and a good routine.

Jingle Bells

This adult gal does well with children,
babies and even cats! She’s a very sweet girl
who loves squeaky toys and would also love
a space to run!

PHOTO BY KARI LINFORS

PHOTO BY ALYCAT PHOTO AND VIDEO SERVICES

PHOTO BY ALYCAT PHOTO AND VIDEO SERVICES

Take home one of these wonderful pets from The Animal Protection Society of Durham today!

Elena

A playful, friendly girl, Elena is full of
energy and enthusiasm. She likes other
dogs and would be a wonderful family pet.

Adoption fees for cats are $95 and $50 for the second cat when adopting two together. Dog adoption fees range from $100 to $175. Fees for other animals vary. The shelter, located at
2117 E. Club Blvd., is open Mon.-Tue. and Thu.-Fri., 10:30am-5pm; Wed. 10:30am-6pm; and Sat. 10am-2pm. For more information, call 919-560-0640 or visit apsofdurham.org.

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ittingly, the concept behind British-Indian gastropub Viceroy
came up over a pint. “Our background has always been in
bars, in British bars or Irish bars,” says Bull McCabe’s owner
Malachy Noone, who partnered with fellow McCabe’s owner
Rhys Botica and B.J. Patel of the Tan-Durm food truck to open Viceroy
last November. “And we thought we’d be able to build something
that’s completely unique to downtown.”
So, they brought a taste of the U.K.’s authentic Indian cuisine to
Durham with a curated menu of small plates and main entrees, plus
several items cooked in a tandoor that was imported from London.
“The issue I had when I first moved to the U.S. was that every Indian
restaurant in the Triangle has pretty much the same menu, but they’ve
adapted it to the culture here,” says Nick Singh, Viceroy’s general
manager. “And so one of our goals was to create those true, Britishstyle Indian curries.” That meant kicking the heat level up a notch.
“If you ask for it spicy here, you’ll get it spicy,” Malachy says.
Growing up, both B.J. and Nick frequently ate meals prepared with

traditionally Indian ingredients, no matter the cuisine. “When mum
made shepherd’s pie, she added our flavor into it, added a
little curry,” B.J. says. “A lot of the infusion you see on the
menu comes from home.” Viceroy’s gobi suka – battered
Always c
cauliflower sautéed with onions, peppers and curry
heck ou
t
the rota
leaves – is one of the most popular dishes on the menu,
ting spe
cials
on the c
halkboa
as are the bhaji (onion and spinach fritters) and murg
and don
rd,
’t be afra
mykanwala (chicken in creamy tomato sauce with rice).
id to try
somethin
g new.
“Murg mkyanwala just hits home,” B.J. says. “It’s just one of

Here’s a
Tip!

those curries that makes you feel good – it’s comfort food.”
For drinks – this is a pub, after all – look for about 10 British
beers both on draft and in bottles. If cocktails are more your speed,
try their bestselling Mumbai Mule and Tamarind Margarita.
Late-night and lunch hours are on the horizon – B.J. is planning to
offer up wraps and thalis (platters including vegetables, rice, bread,
salad and a protein) for the lunch crowd – as are traditional Sunday
roasts and soccer game viewings. “We are going to try to be the
official Manchester United pub for the Triangle,” Nick says.

For those transplanted
Kentuckians and old-fashioned
soda lovers: Ale-8-One – a
ginger-citrus soda – is now
available in Durham’s Harris
Teeter stores. Enjoy by the
bottle, or add a shot of
bourbon for a true Kentucky
experience.

A Good Run

Chef Jim Anile’s fine-dining
establishment Revolution
closed at the end of 2016.
The restaurant opened its
downtown location in 2008.
Char-Grill in Durham
has closed.

Off Road

Food truck Belgian Waffle
Crafters has opened a kiosk
near the Fork in the Road
food court at The Streets
at Southpoint.

BR

Clouds Brewing
American favorites with a
German flare. Try the “Clouds
Burger” with a half beef, half
bratwurst patty or “BEER-ger”
with beer-bacon-onion jam. 905
W. Main St., Ste. 22; 919-251-8096;
cloudsbrewing.com
BR

Geer Street Garden
Simple, down-home fare
in a cozy atmosphere. They
make a mean “Dark and
Stormy,” and be sure to
order “The Pile” to split with
friends! 644 Foster St.;
919-688-2900;
geerstreetgarden.com

new menu.
Erik Lampe, an American
Culinary Federation 10-year
Certified Executive Chef, is top
chef of the new JB Duke Hotel.

Plug In

Raleigh’s Steve Mangano has
launched the app CurEat,
which highlights local
restaurants with the mentality
of: “No chains. No reviews. Just
good food.” Among the first
CurEaters are Charlie Deal of
Dos Perros and Juju, Nadira
and Ryan Hurley of Vert &
Vogue, Rochelle Johnson of
Ponysaurus, The Cookery and
Dashi, John May of Piedmont
and Wyatt Dickson of Picnic.
CurEat is available for
download on Apple’s
App Store.

On the Horizon

The Reuse Arts District located
at the Shoppes at Lakewood
will house the Durham
Food Hall, which will act
as an incubator to local
culinary talent.

We hear Scratch Bakery’s
Phoebe Lawless plans
to open a full-service,
90-seat restaurant called
The Lakewood on Chapel Hill
Road in the spring, as well
as a second Scratch and
wholesale production bakery.

Elaine’s on Franklin
Fine regional American cuisine, made with fresh,
local ingredients. 454 W. Franklin St.; 919-960-2770;
elainesonfranklin.com
elements
Cuisine that combines classical as well as modern
Asian and European cooking techniques. 2110 Environ
Way, East 54; 919-537-8780; elementsofchapelhill.com

HLOE ROCKOW AND XANDER MADSEN ADORE THIS CITY, WHETHER THEY ARE
grabbing a beer at Motorco, sipping coffee at Cocoa Cinnamon or taking their
Corgi, Fionna, to the Piney Wood Dog Park. Yet they’ve spent most of their threeyear relationship apart, with Chloe working in politics from Washington, D.C.,
Minnesota and New Hampshire while Xander – who works at technology marketing firm
Principled Technologies – was living in Durham. The two met through mutual friends when
Chloe, a Duke alumna, was visiting North Carolina. “We fell for each other and, against our
better judgment, started a long-distance relationship,” says Chloe, who recently moved
back to the Bull City.
Xander asked Chloe to marry him while visiting D.C. last summer. The couple went on a
hike with some friends, and, while posing for a photo near a scenic overlook, Xander quickly
switched positions to kneel on one knee, looked up at Chloe and said he wanted to be
teammates forever. “I, of course, said yes!” Chloe says.
Their June 2017 nuptials will take place at The Rickhouse, with Southern Harvest Catering and
The Parlour providing the meal and desserts for the evening. Durhamites in the wedding party
include Sarah Van Name, Ben Azevedo, Sunny Frothingham, Grace Berbaum and Zoe Madsen.
“Xander always makes me laugh,” Chloe says, “and we can’t wait to spend the rest of our
lives together.”

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lla Bess Bumgarner and
Durham native George
Marshall met through
Teach for America while
working on Henderson Collegiate
Middle School’s fourth grade
team in Henderson, N.C. “It was
our shared love of teaching that
brought us together and continues
to play a large role in our lives,”
Ella Bess says. In August 2015, on
the weekend after their two-year
anniversary, George asked Ella
Bess to marry him in the classroom
where they first worked together,
surrounded by many friends.
Although they still live in Henderson, Ella Bess and George chose to wed
in George’s hometown, and the two love exploring Durham through date
nights. As most guests were coming from out of town, the couple planned
hotel accommodations at Aloft Durham Downtown, Durham Marriott City

Center and The Durham Hotel. The
day before the wedding, Ella Bess
had lunch with her bridesmaids at
The King’s Daughters Inn, and the
rehearsal dinner was held later at
Tobacco Road Sports Cafe.
On July 9, 2016, Ella Bess and
George were married at First
Presbyterian Church with the help
of Gather Together event planners
and Big Dog Little Bed Productions
capturing all the special moments.
Their reception at The Cookery
was decked out by American Party
Rentals and catered by Donovan’s
Dish. They chose 10 Toes Tours Pedicab as their transportation to the afterparty at Tyler’s Restaurant & Taproom.
Ella Bess, an instructional coach, and George, grade-level chair, head
of athletics and a teacher, continue to work at Henderson Collegiate
Middle School.

February/March 2017

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durhammag.com

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95

| weddings |

Covington & Emory

Match Made
in Durham

J

 by Elaine Zhang |  by Jessica Arden Photography, jessica-arden.com
ennifer Covington and Austin Emory both grew up in Durham;
Jenny graduated from Durham School of the Arts and Austin,
Riverside High. They recall attending the same summer camp,
Ventures, but don’t remember meeting until mutual friends
brought them together during college (Jenny was at St. Mary's College
of Maryland while Austin attended Western Carolina University). They
connected over a shared passion for sports, and after seven years of
dating, Austin was ready to pop the question.
During Triangle Restaurant Week in January 2015, Austin suggested he
and Jenny try somewhere new for a date night. After a drink at Tyler’s, he
walked her out to the lawn in front of the American Tobacco water tower
and proposed in front of Jenny’s family, who had been hiding before
the magical moment. They all went to dinner at Bleu Olive afterwards to
celebrate.
“Being true Durhamites,” Jenny says, “we knew a wedding at the
Durham Bulls stadium would represent us and our love so well!” With
the help of event planner Amanda Scott of A Swanky Affair, the couple
held a June ceremony on one of the decks overlooking the field before
the party moved indoors to the PNC Club. Bluebird Meadows provided
the flowers, Bernard’s Formalwear, the tuxes, and Durham Catering
Co., the eats. The newlyweds ended the night with a Pedicab tour of
downtown before joining the after-party at Tyler’s. “The best part was
celebrating with all our friends and family,” Jenny says, “but especially
the folks we grew up with in Durham.”
Jenny, a nurse at UNC, and Austin, who works at The Duck Shop and
with Riverside’s men’s basketball team, reside in north Durham.

Are you from Durham or do you live in Durham and want
your wedding or engagement featured in our magazine?
Email weddings@durhammag.com.
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TM

DURHAM.

Now twice as accommodating.
IN JANUARY 2017, THE JB DUKE HOTEL OPENS ITS DOOR S ADJACENT TO THE RENOWNED
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Each of these two full-featured hotels offers attentive service, indulgent accommodations and a
distinctly individual style. Whether you seek acclaimed executive education programs, focused
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than this diverse corner of the Piedmont’s Triangle area on Duke’s vibrant West Campus.